The present invention relates to a device for the auto-enhancement of an explosive charge and more particularly to a device for the auto-enhancement of an explosive charge by the use of magnetic precompression.
Prior art devices for generating electrical current by explosive means are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,522,459 to Stubbs et al., and 3,985,078 to Hart et al. In both Stubbs et al and Hart et al electrical current pulses are generated by exploding an explosive charge to compress lines of magnetic force thus producing current in an output circuit element coaxial with the explosive charge. Neither Stubbs et al nor Hart et al teach the use of the explosively generated current for the auto-enhancement of the explosive detonation wave using magnetic precompression.
Presently, the only known method of achieving increased detonation pressure in condensed explosives is the chemical formulation of new explosives having larger energy release per gram and larger initial density than known explosives. Chemical enhancement of the explosive offers the possibility of percentage increases over existing condensed explosives, but can not offer the possibility of large increases because of the inherent limitations in the binding energies of atoms. The explosive auto-enhancement device of the subject invention provides a means of augmenting the explosive detonation of an explosive charge.